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The New Way of Eating

When I started this new way of eating, I had the classic symptoms of metabolic syndrome. I am or was (not sure which, now) pre-diabetic. I felt tired and lethargic most days. I struggled heavily with depression and anxiety. Controlling heartburn had become a weekly and almost daily struggle. I didn’t feel good. My body was protesting. I went from a fairly successful dieting attempt to sliding back into bad habits with reckless abandon.

To be honest, I wasn’t sure how Keto would fit into my life. I knew that I needed to make some changes. At the end of my research, I felt very strongly that leading a Keto life is what I needed to do.

Keto by nature is fairly simple. The most complex part of this new way of eating is tracking daily macros (ie how many carb grams are consumed). I’m no stranger to tracking calories, so it was fairly easy for me to fire up the My Fitness Pal app on my phone and start logging food daily. I have also found a Low-Carb High-Fat support group on Facebook. The before & after pics are a blessing because it confirms to me that this works!

Though this diet is largely modeled after Atkins Phase I, it also has a Paleo twist. The goal isn’t to see how much bacon, cheese, steak, and eggs you can consume but rather it strikes for a fairly balanced meal, where you consume less processed foods, few carbs and little to no sugar. This is a diet that is composed mainly of eating meat, vegetables, dairy and healthy fats. Pinterest, Facebook … and well, the internet is full of good recipes, hacks and educational information on this way of eating.

What I love most about Keto is the amount of control I have over my appetite and cravings so far! After my first week into this, I didn’t feel the powerful cravings I would normally get. I can actually fast for 16+ hours and not be ready to murder someone because of my hunger. My appetite overall is less. Throughout this process, I am learning the difference between real hunger and hunger that is actually something else – thirst, boredom, sadness, anger, etc.

Before starting this new lifestyle, I knew that I had to come to the table with some hard truths. Truth 1) This is for life. Going back to the way it was is simply not an option. Even after I get to goal. Truth 2) Nothing is perfect, even this. While failure is not an option (See Truth 1), perfection is not in the execution, it’s in sticking to it. Truth 3) It will probably take me 2-3 years to get to goal. There are no quick fixes here. I am going to practice patience. Truth 4) When triggers and inner-demons come out, I need to stop and understand them. Take the time to feel the feelings, to understand the whys and finally to come to a place of peace and acceptance.

On the journey so far, I am down 20.2 lbs and 3 inches around the waist. I have so much energy now, that I am simply buzzing with it! The trickle-down effect this has had on my family has been great! I never realized how much my children and even my husband, mirror me. It seems I am the dominant energy in the house.

Above all, I am thankful for the aha-moments, the moments of absolute clarity and of the blessings in my life. I don’t want to take one moment for granted. January 24, 2017, was the beginning of a new path for me. Not just for this new way of eating, but this new way of being.